Concern raised over Kenyan plan to run portion of rail through national park

Plans by Kenya to construct the last kilometres of a 472 km standard-gauge railway (SGR) line across a major national park in the capital city, Nairobi, have met with stiff opposition from... 

Ethiopia’s controversial hydropower scheme now feeding 800 MW into grid

Ethiopia’s controversial Gilgel Gibe III hydropower dam is now feeding 800 MW into the national grid, following the recent switching on of the sixth of its ten turbines. When completed, the... 

Contractor commits to completing Ethiopia-Kenya power link by August 2017

The Chinese company constructing a high-voltage transmission line that will enable Ethiopia to export electricity to Kenya has promised to complete the project by August next year. China Electric... 

Tanzania aims to set up oil trading hub in Tanga

Tanzania plans to establish oil trading hub in the coastal town of Tanga to supply petroleum products in East and Central Africa. Buoyed by Uganda’s decision to opt for the Tanzanian route for its... 

Ethiopia misses 2015/16 mineral export target by 30% on low gold price

Ethiopia is still feeling the effects of the gold prices crash of 2013 after earning from minerals exports fell short of target in the 2015/16 financial year. The Horn of Africa nation recorded a... 

Tanzania’s rural electrification plan gets $470m boost

Tanzania's plans to increase electricity connections in rural areas have been boosted by a $470-million loan that the East African country has secured from a consortium of development partners. The... 

Tanzania’s rural electrification plan gets $470m boost

Tanzania's plans to increase electricity connections in rural areas have been boosted by a $470-million loan that the East African country has secured from a consortium of development partners.... 

Arbitrary licence cancellation a thing of the past as Kenya establishes oversight board

Investors in Kenya’s mining sector will no longer face the risk of arbitrary cancellation of their licences, as the country has established a body to oversee the licensing of prospecting and mining... 

Kenya gears up to award contract for new Mombasa oil import facility

After a delay of more than three years, Kenya is finally set to start constructing a modern oil importing facility in the coastal city of Mombasa. The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) announced earlier... 

Rwanda plans $85m petroleum products depot

Landlocked Rwanda plans to build a $85-million petroleum products depot as it seeks to increase the country’s strategic fuel reserve from 70-million litres to 150-million litres by 2018.... 

Kenya unveils plan to revive idle petroleum refinery

Kenya plans to revive its obsolete petroleum refinery – which has been idle since 2013 – as it gears up for commercial crude oil production over the next two years. In a move aimed at utilising the... 

Tanzania signs loan deal with China for crossborder rail project

Tanzania has signed a $7.6-billion concessional loan agreement with Export-Import Bank (Exim) of China to finance the construction of the standard-gauge railway line project connecting it with... 

Mega industrial park signals Ethiopia’s manufacturing intent

Ethiopia has commissioned the largest industrial park in Africa, signalling its intention to become one of Africa’s manufacturing hubs. The Horn of Africa nation, which is among the fastest-growing... 

Mega industrial park signals Ethiopia’s manufacturing intent

Ethiopia has commissioned the largest industrial park in Africa, signalling its intention to become one of Africa's manufacturing hubs. The Horn of Africa nation, which is among the fastest-growing... 

Banks back 1 000 MW coal fired power project in Kenya

Standard Bank of South Africa has concluded a deal to finance a massive coal-fired power plant in Kenya. The bank will be financing the $2-billion with Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd... 

Kenya titanium mine eyeing revenue rise to $140m this year

Mineral sands developer Base Resources is set earn $140-million from minerals exports from its titanium mine, in Kenya, this year. The Kwale mine generated revenue of $90-million in 2015, up from... 

Kenya pursuing own oil pipeline after Uganda partnership collapses

Kenya has set in motion the process to build its own crude oil export pipeline after plans to partner with Uganda in a similar project hit a snag.   Only days after Uganda announced it was... 

Tanzania aiming to become East Africa’s regional transport hub

Tanzania is determined to implement transport infrastructure megaprojects in a bid to become East Africa's regional transport hub. The country, which is investing massively in port, airport and... 

Ethiopia likely to face green opposition over new hydropower plan

Ethiopia could be headed for another round of confrontation with environmentalists following the announcement of plans to construct another hydropower plant on the contested Omo river. The Horn of... 

UK oil and gas firm reports start of gas output from Tanzania project

Africa-focused oil and gas company Aminex has announced the commencement of natural gas production at its Kiliwani North project, in Tanzania. The London-based company says that initial gas... 

Uganda unhappy with quality of work on two power projects

Two Chinese companies undertaking critical power projects in Uganda are at loggerheads with the East African country over shoddy workmanship. Synohydro and China Water & Electric (CWE), which are... 

Process to hire operator for new Kenyan railway line gets under way

Kenya has set in motion the process to appoint an operator for a new standard-gauge railway (SGR) line that is poised for completion in May next year. The State-owned Kenya Railways Corporation... 

East Africa moves to introduce electronic monitoring of goods in transit

Three East African neighbouring countries are set to introduce an electronic system to monitor goods in transit as part of efforts to boost trade and plug tax evasion loopholes. Kenya, Uganda and... 

Kenya’s bid to make mining a key economic pillar being stymied by bad policies

Efforts by Kenya to transform the mining sector to a key economic pillar are being hampered by policies that make the country unattractive to foreign investors. According to a new report from... 

$700m Kenya airport project stalls amid loan-guarantee uncertainty

One of Kenya’s infrastructure megaprojects is on the verge of collapse following the refusal by would-be financers developed cold feet due to the Kenyan government refusal to guarantee the loan. In... 

Tanzania grants mining licence for Rukwa coal project

UK company Edenville Energy will start developing the Rukwa coal project, in Tanzania, in June, following the granting of a mining licence by the authorities in that country. Edenville CEO Rufus... 

Rwanda mulling credit guarantee fund to encourage lending to mining sector

Rwanda is mulling over the establishment of a credit guarantee fund to encourage commercial banks to increase lending to the mining sector. Minister of State for Mining Evode Imena says the... 

10 MW Uganda solar plant to begin producing in July

Uganda is set to add 10 MW to the national grid in July, when a new solar plant to be built by Middle East and Spanish investors is expected to come on stream. Dubai-based Access Energy Group and... 

Kenya sets 2020 universal electricity connectivity goal

Kenya will in April embark on an ambitious project aimed at achieving universal electricity connectivity by 2020. Over 50% of the country's citizens do not have access to electricity, as only... 

Uganda at odds with environmentalists over oil and gas exploration

A push by Uganda to explore for oil and gas in an environmentally sensitive area has sparked off a major row between government and environmentalists. Just when investments in Uganda oil industry... 

Nile standoff could jeopardise East African power-pool projects

The standoff between Egypt and Ethiopia over use of the Nile river's waters is threatening to jeopardise power projects aimed at interconnecting the grids of countries in the wider Eastern Africa... 

Jasco expands Nairobi office as it eyes East African growth

JSE-listed smart technologies firm Jascois expanding its Nairobi office in an effort to capture a bigger market in the East African region. The company, which offers a wide range of electronic... 

Port of Mombasa container terminal project nears completion

A new container terminal project at the Port of Mombasa, in Kenya, that is nearing completion risks being underused after the process of hiring an international independent operator was marred by... 

Rwanda plans inland clearing port to bolster trade

Landlocked Rwanda plans to construct an inland clearing port to boost trade and accelerate economic growth. Trade and Industry Minister Francois Kanimba says the country's government has awarded a... 

East African nation plans to diversify mining sector, increase production as earnings nosedive

Rwanda plans to diversify minerals sector and increase output to mitigate the effects of unpredictable commodity prices on the international market.  The East African nation, whose economy is... 

Newmont Mining aiming to expand presence in Africa

US mining giant Newmont Mining plans to expand its presence in Africa, whose extractive industry, it believes, has immense potential. The company, which is among the largest gold producers in the... 

Maersk Oil moves to acquire five Kenya, Ethiopia exploration blocks

Crude oil exploration in East Africa has received a major boast in the form of Danish giant Maersk Oil's acquisition of stakes in five exploration blocks in Kenya and Ethiopia.   Maersk Oil, a... 

Ethiopia unveils plans for $4bn Addis Ababa mega-airport

The configuration of Africa’s aviation sector is headed for a significant shake-up following the announcement by Ethiopia of plans to build the largest airport on the continent. Superambitious... 

Foreign oil and gas explorers object to Kenya tax proposal

Foreign companies exploring for oil and gas in Kenya have opposed the planned introduction a 5% tax on the sale and acquisition of exploration blocks. The companies contend that a clause in the... 

Google set to invest in Kenya’s Lake Turkana wind power project

Global information technology (IT) giant Google is set to invest in Kenya’s Lake Turkana wind power (LTWP) project as part of its efforts to promote clean energy in developing nations. The company...